Malverne/West HeMpstead
Also serving Lakeview
Noam Traeger honored for service work
By MADISoN GUSlER
mgusler@liherald.com
The West Hempstead Community Support Association presented Noam Traeger, a graduating senior at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, with its annual Service Award on June 10 for giving back to the community.
“The award is given to a senior that demonstrates service to the community, mostly through their volunteering,” Maureen Greenberg-Mahoney, the association’s president, said. “Noam was chosen for his service in the community of collecting over 2,000 books for veterans, nursing homes, etc.”
Traeger, a West Hempstead resident, earned this year’s award by orchestrating several book drives in the community, which he began hosting during his freshman year. He also completed an Eagle Scout project by building book carts, which were filled with books and donated to local veterans’ hospitals.
When Traeger moved from Queens to West HempCoNTiNued oN pAGe 11
School district held fifth annual Juneteenth Jubilee
By MADISoN GUSlER mgusler@liherald.com
The Malverne school district held its fifth annual Juneteenth Jubilee at the high school last Friday. The event, which is organized by alumni, parents and students, featured musical entertainment, crafts, field activities and vendors.
Juneteenth, marked on June 19, is a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. “Juneteenth celebrates that in Texas, people who were still enslaved long after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 were only freed in 1865,” district Superin-
tendent Lorna Lewis said.
“Many people here don’t know about it,” Lewis added. “It’s important that we teach real history and celebrate what this country has become, (and) the diversity we have in Malverne.”
The jubilee began with a march through Lakeview led by the Pride of Malverne Marching Band. The school district encompasses the predominantly Black hamlet.
“Malverne’s strength is our diversity, and today we celebrate our diversity and strength as a community,” Maurice W. Downing’s assistant principal Stephen Benfante, a
co-chair of the celebration, said.
“We have to continue to support events like this because of the suffrage our people went through,” Doris Hicks-Newkirk, president of the Lakeview branch of the NAACP, said.
After the marchers arrived at the high school, students from every school in the district offered musical entertainment and dance performances, including the award-winning MHS select choir, the Winter Guard, the Davison Avenue 3rd Grade Ensemble, the MWD Glee Club and the MHS step team.
“Every year this gets bigger
and better,” Nicole Henderson, the event’s other co-chair and a district parent, said. “We have more and more students running the show — it’s largely student-driven. It just shows how amazing this community is, as well as our students.”
“I love seeing our community come together to celebrate this type of event and showcase
everything our district has to offer,” student Co-host Sanaa Demosthenes, a junior at the high school, said.
Vendors and food trucks operated by local and Blackowned businesses sold a range of products, from food to clothes and self-care products.
“Juneteenth is a highly
Courtesy West Hempstead Community Support Association
The West Hempstead Community Support Association honored Noam Traeger with its annual Service Award on June 10. Traeger, center, was joined by Sarah Greenberg, left, Maureen Greenberg-Mahoney, Zahava Traeger, Nadav Traeger and Robert Shelly.
Thousands protest Trump immigration policy
By SCOTT BRINTON & CHRISTINA ARLOTTT Special to the Herald
The “No Kings” protest opened at 11:30 a.m. Saturday outside the Nassau County Courthouse, in Mineola, with a silent prayer for two Democratic Minnesota legislators — one who was killed and another who was wounded in an alleged assassination plot.
New York legislators denounced President Donald Trump’s policies, particularly his hard line stance on immigration.
Nearly 3,000 protesters filled the green in front of the courthouse and spilled into surrounding streets, chanting with Democratic lawmakers as they ran through a litany of grievances against the Trump administration, then marched to the Nassau County Executive and Legislative Building through a downpour.
The rally was one of roughly 2,000 such protests across the nation on Saturday, the same day that Trump hosted a military parade through the streets of Washington, D.C. to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. June 14 was also his 79th birthday.
Three grassroots organizations — Show Up Long Island, Engage Long Island and the Long Island Network for Change — organized the rally.
Two calls to the Nassau County Republican Committee seeking a response to the Mineola protest, made on
Scott Brinton/Herald
Up to 3,000 protesters turned out in Mineola in a downpour on Saturday to decry the Trump administration’s immigration policy, and to speak out on a host of other issues.
Thursday and Friday, had not been returned as of press time.
Trump rebuffed criticism that he was acting like a king by saying the courts have checked his power, with judges often siding with the opposition. The president said Sunday that mass deportations would continue, despite the No Kings protests, according to The Associated Press.
Starting early this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, under orders from the administration, intensified a series of nationwide immi-
gration raids, with a focus on major cities such as Los Angeles and New York, as well as on Long Island. According to Islip Forward, there have been 22 verified ICE sightings in the region since the April 5 “Hands Off!” protests.
Assemblyman Charles Lavine, a Democrat from Glen Cove, noted that the American Revolution began, in part, with the Battle of Long Island.
“Throughout the Revolution,” Lavine said, “Long Islanders remained largely loyal to the proposition that democracy matters a whole lot more than tyranny,
and we stand for that.”
Many participants, like Dora Coryell, of Merrick, came to voice their anger over recent ICE actions across Long Island. Coryell, an immigrant from Colombia, stood in the crowd, concerned, she said, about the recent uptick in deportations.
“I’ve been here for 47 years, and I’m very stunned by what’s going on,” Coryell said. “I have friends that are in El Salvador, and they’re not criminals like how Trump is making us look. He sees a brown person and, in his mind, we’re criminals.”
Chelsea Roocke, 32, of Bellmore, who owns a mobile spray-tan business, said both Democrats and Republicans want immigrants, documented and undocumented, to be treated fairly. The Trump administration, however, is “focusing on cruelty,” Roocke said, noting that ICE agents are “showing up in schools, at birthday parties, places of work, and they’re just deporting people. They’re taking people, arresting them and taking them in without question.”
Bill Friend, a retired dentist from Rockville Centre, emphasized the importance of public protests. “In the United States, the only times that real advances were made,” Friend said, “were when people came out and massively protested something and forced the government to then enact legislation to do what the people desired.”
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Celebrating Black history in Malverne
regarded holiday in the United States, especially in the Black community,” student co-host Kaiden Ulysee, a MHS senior, said. “Being able to facilitate an event celebrating the holiday is a privilege.”
Among the arts and crafts on offer were portrait drawing, face painting and bracelet making. There was an inflatable relay race slide and basketball hoop.
The participants included representatives of the Divine Nine historically Black Greek fraternities and sororities. “It’s always good to have Black leaders come around and have an influence,” Felix Dunbar, a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, said.
Field day activities, hosted by the Malverne’s Alumni Education Foundation, included egg-on-a-spoon and potato sack races, an obstacle course and a 40-meter dash. The winners of the dash received medals, AEFM shirts and a chance to meet Derrick Adkins, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles and a Malverne High alumnus.
“We try to make this a very fun family and community event,” Uchenna Emeagwali, a member of the jubilee’s planning committee and a district parent, said. “I hope people enjoy themselves and learn as much information as they can.”
Veronica Lippencott, the director of Hofstra University’s Africana Studies program and the associate director of the university’s Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice, was the keynote speaker. She discussed the history and importance of Juneteenth.
“The fact that the Malverne school district has been celebrating Juneteenth means a lot,” Lippencott said. “It shows a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that sometimes gets eroded in this climate.”
Stuart Oates, an adviser to the
verne High alumnus, added, “In a time where it seems like a full-blown attack on the concept of DEI, it’s important that we have these reminders of unity, organization, trust, love and excellence.
We celebrate each other, community, and all the great joys about being Black, and give homage to the foundation of this country and everything it stands for.”
Lakeview NAACP Youth Council and a Mal-
Continued from page 1
Local members of the divine nine fraternities and sororities took part in the celebration.
the Juneteenth Jubilee began with a march through Lakeview, a predominantly Black neighborhood that fought for desegregation in the school district 60 years ago.
the HtH Creativity Club performed at the annual jubilee.
Photos courtesy Malverne school district
the malverne school district hosted its fifth annual Juneteenth Jubilee last friday, with an afternoon of performances by students from every school in the district.
W.H.’s kicks off summer reading program
By MADISON GUSLER mgusler@liherald.com
The West Hempstead Public Library is roaring up for the 2025 Summer Reading Program, with kickoff activities taking place at the library on June 8. This year’s theme for summer reading is “Color Our World,” with weekly events and prizes planned throughout the summer.
“The summer reading programs all revolve around colors,” Roseanne Dorfman said. “So we’ll have stained glass making, tie dye, ceramic painting, canvas painting; everything will involve how to bring color into your world.”
To celebrate the commencement of the adult summer reading program, adults and teens were invited to enjoy an afternoon of Mind Reading and Magic with a performance from David Lawrence. The children’s summer reading club had coloring activities available in the children’s room during registration.
Anne Marie Spensieri-Fidis has been taking part in summer reading since she was a child. “I sign up for the adult summer reading program every summer, it’s really fun,” she said. “It gives me added motivation to read. We share books with each other at the end of summer event, so I learn about books and I get to meet people in the community.”
The children’s summer reading club is available to all children ages birth through entering 5th grade. From June 30 through August 8, children will read books and log their minutes on ReadSquared. By logging minutes each week, you receive a prize. Once you log 360 minutes you receive an invitation to a show, certificate of completion and more prizes!
The teen summer review club will take place June 30 through August 15. Teens can submit virtual or
To celebrate this year’s summer reading theme “Color Our World,” the children’s summer reading sign
opportunities to color.
paper reviews for books, TV shows, movies, and games they enjoy during the summer. By logging reviews, they will be entered in weekly raffles, prizes and potentially win the $100 Amazon gift card grand prize. For those who review 400 minutes of activity, the summer review club ice cream bar party will be August 18.
The adult summer reading program will begin on June 20. You can earn points by completing and log-
Why Some Estate Plans Fail
Clients lose legal capacity when their treating physician determines that they are unable to handle their legal and financial affairs. Once the client becomes legally disabled, it is too late to prepare and sign new legal documents. Obviously, the same is true when a client dies.
Time and again we find that the client’s legal documents were prepared many years ago and are either inadequate from a personal or professional point of view. It may be that the wrong person is in charge due to any number of circumstances -- illness, unavailability, estrangement, death, etc. In other cases, the power of attorney, the will or the trust is legally inadequate. Examples of this may be that the client had the power of attorney done many years earlier by a general lawyer, but failed to have it reviewed or replaced by an elder law attorney when they got older. Thus they end up with a power of attorney that is not strong enough to move assets out of their name or to set up a trust to protect their assets. Under Medicaid, it’s move it or lose it.
Countless wills and trusts do not reflect the current state of the law when a client dies, especially regarding New York and Federal estate taxes. These laws change every few years as administrations change.
The problem arises out of the fact that law firms are traditionally unwilling to take the responsibility to keep their clients informed as to law changes or to review their clients’ estate plans on a regular basis — to make certain the plan will work when the client needs it — not when they wrote it many years earlier.
To overcome the problem of facing a death or disability with an outdated plan, we provide a free review of our clients’ estate plan every three years. Having used this approach for over three decades, we have saved thousands of clients countless problems and, when something happens to one of our clients, we know who they are since the relationship has been maintained. In addition, the law firm does not charge for phone calls or emails in order to encourage communication when personal or legal issues arise.
ETTINGER LAW FIRM
ging books, audio books, and e-books. You can also earn points from minutes read, which includes magazines, newspapers, comics, etc. If you log 1000+ points by August 11 you will be entered into the grand prize raffles, which will be drawn during an August 25 celebration.
To register for any of West Hempstead’s summer reading programs, visit www.whplibrary.org or stop by the reference desk to register in person.
The adult summer reading program began with a fascinating magic show from David Lawrence on June
Christine Rivera/Herald photos
up had
8.
Global Entry office opens in Eisenhower Park
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
A new gateway to international travel has opened in the heart of Nassau County.
County officials joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security on June 11 to unveil a Global Entry enrollment center in Eisenhower Park — the first of its kind on Long Island.
Global Entry is a special program that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to expedite their entry into the United States when arriving from international destinations. Before the office in Eisenhower Park opened, the closest interview locations were at Kennedy Airport, Newark Airport and the U.S. Customs House in New York City.
At the unveiling, County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he thought the addition of a Global Entry office in Nassau County was “a brilliant idea.”
“This is a collaboration between Nassau County and the federal government to make people safer and to make their life easier,” Blakeman said, “and that’s what government should be about.”
The office is located in Eisenhower Park’s Field 6/6A, near the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.
Sal Ingrassia, the port director of Customs and Border Protection at Kennedy Airport, explained how one applies
Sal Ingrassia, port director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Kennedy Airport, explained how to apply for Global Entry, a program in which pre-approved travelers can expedite their entry into the U.S. when arriving from international destinations. Travelers can now interview for the program at an office in Eisenhower Park.
for Global Entry. Those interested can begin by visiting CBP.gov or GlobalEntry.gov, where they will fill out an application. Once it is processed and an applicant has “conditional approval,” they can schedule an interview at an office, like the one in Eisenhower Park. Ingrassia said the goal is process at least 200 interviews a day at the new location.
To apply for Global Entry, you must be a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident of the U.S. or a citizen of one of 18 countries that participate in the program. Visit CBP.gov for a full list of countries and guidelines.
The program is free for those ages 17 and younger, and costs $120 for adults for a five-year membership. If the Global Entry interview is successful and an
applicant is are approved, the card that is issued can be used as a Real ID, which is now required for all domestic flights. Global Entry members also qualify for TSA Pre-check, a different program that allows pre-approved travelers to move through airport security screening more quickly.
Frank Russo, director of Customs and Border Protection at the New York Field Office, said the Global Entry program is “a critical component of our national security.”
“It is such an important program for us because it allows our officers, agriculture specialists, import specialists and entry specialists to focus in on highrisk targets,” Russo said. “But most importantly, for our citizens of Long Island, it allows for an efficient and secure process through airports. It’s a program that, quite frankly, will allow us to allocate more resources, prioritize our mission and effectively execute the rules and laws of our country.”
County officials said they were not concerned about the potential increase in traffic in Eisenhower Park, adding that there is plenty of parking. They encouraged those who are interested in interviewing at the new office to enjoy what the park has to offer and to patronize local establishments nearby.
To schedule an interview timeslot at the Eisenhower Park office and view hours of operation, visit TTP.DHS.gov.
Jordan Vallone/Herald
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Southern State: A road still stuck in the past
Decades of improvements haven’t eliminated the parkway’s dangers, but more work is planned
By JORDAN VALLONE & MOHAMMAD RAFIQ of the Heralds
Fourth in a series on the Southern State Parkway.
Built for a different era and a different kind of driver, the Southern State Parkway is a cautionary tale of outdated infrastructure. Sections of the most notorious stretch — from Exit 17 in Malverne to Exit 32 in Farmingdale — have earned grim nicknames like “Blood Alley” and “Dead Man’s Curve,” reflecting their reputations for crashes and fatalities.
that much of the parkway remained largely unchanged since its first section opened in 1927 — originally built to improve beach access for vehicles traveling at just 35 miles per hour.
According to New York State Department of Transportation estimates, the Southern State handles nearly 200,000 vehicles per day through Nassau County and 130,000 through its Suffolk County section. Between 2012 and 2019, there were over 15,700 accidents resulting in property damage; over 84,000 accidents resulting in injury; and 78 resulting in death.
Despite decades of proposed and implemented efforts to improve the parkway’s safety, serious accidents — many of them fatal — continue to occur. No matter how many calls to action are made, the Southern State Parkway remains a work in progress, with much more still to be done.
What makes the Southern State so dangerous?
The Southern State Parkway stretches 25.53 miles, beginning at the interchange of the Belt and Cross Island parkways in North Valley Stream. It runs east along Nassau County’s South Shore and continues into Suffolk County, ending in West Islip.
In August 2022, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, a Democrat from Valley Stream, released a report detailing the parkway’s design flaws. The report found
The Southern State’s “Blood Alley,” between Malverne and Farmingdale, has been repeatedly cited for hazardous conditions, including sharp curves, narrow lanes, short acceleration and deceleration ramps, and the proximity of three major intersecting north-south highways — the Meadowbrook State Parkway, the Wantagh State Parkway, and the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway. It’s not just the roadway design that contributes to accidents — low overpasses are also a persistent hazard. In New York state, only motor vehicles registered as passenger vehicles are permitted on parkways, excluding trucks, tractor-trailers, commercial vehicles, and any vehicle over 94 inches in height. Despite this, oversized vehicles frequently strike overpasses, particularly near Exit 18, at Eagle Avenue, in the West Hempstead–Lakeview area.
Today, the speed limit on the Southern State Parkway ranges from 50 to 55 mph. According to the American Road &
Sharp curves, short acceleration and deceleration ramps, and the proximity of three major intersecting north-south highways, including the Meadowbrook State Parkway, have given the Southern State Parkway a dangerous reputation.
Transportation Builders Association’s report, Long Island’s population — which has grown nearly 200 percent since 1950 — along with larger, more powerful vehicles and increased roadway congestion, has heightened longstanding safety concerns tied to the parkway’s outdated design.
Safety improvements, discussed throughout the years
The Southern State, as drivers know it today, was completed in 1962. Upgrades to the parkway, including the sharp turns at “Dead Man’s Curve” in Malverne, have been made over the last four decades. Following 14 deaths
from head-on collisions between 1984 and 1990, the state installed median barriers between exits 17 and 21.
As part of a $157 million statewide investment in 2022, nearly $24 million was allocated for improvements to the Southern State. A pavement renewal project was completed between Exit 20 — Grand Avenue and Baldwin Road — and State Route 110 in Farmingdale, building on an earlier resurfacing effort finished in 2021 between the Cross Island Parkway and South Hempstead. Eleven miles of roadway between State Route 231 and the Sagtikos Parkway, in the Towns of Babylon and Islip,
Tim Baker/Herald photos
In Valley Stream, cars travel along the Southern State Parkway at Exit 15, a section where exit ramps are to be redone to tame chaotic traffic and prevent crashes.
Jordan Vallone/Herald
A parkway that wasn’t made for these times
were also included in the investment package, along with concrete repairs of 55 entrance and exit ramps in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
One proposed improvement in 2022, backed by the Long Island Contractors Association, was the addition of a high-occupancy toll lane. Similar to the high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the Long Island Expressway, an HOT lane is a managed lane that allows vehicles with a minimum number of occupants — typically two or more — to use the lane for free.
The proposal did not seek to remove an existing lane from the traffic flow on the parkway, but rather add one. The addition of a lane, an August 2022 report showed, was intended to alleviate traffic congestion. The data and proposal was released by Solages’ office.
At the time, Solages — who has long advocated for Southern State renovations — said she did not specifically endorse the proposal, but was open to any ideas that could help relieve the parkway’s systemic issues.
A HOT plan for the Southern State has yet to materialize, but another improvement did take shape in 2022 — the installation of license plate readers. That October, 22 readers were installed along the parkway, funded by a $900,000 grant to the State Police secured by former State Sen. John Brooks, a Democrat from Merrick. The devices enable police to check license plate information across multiple databases and analyze traffic patterns and vehicle behavior. They also serve as visible deterrents to speeding and reckless driving.
“This 10-mile stretch of road has proven to be a danger to motorists,” Brooks said in 2022, referencing the “Blood Alley” portion of the parkway, “causing a litany of deadly crashes as a result, so we must do everything we can to protect our community.”
The plate readers, he said, ensure that police officers are better able to navigate the hazardous conditions of the Southern State, and ultimately ensure that Long Islanders are protected.
Calls to action and upcoming projects
In response to the prevalence of traffic deaths and serious accidents on the Southern State, elected officials and community members have been pushing for action in the form of further investigation and urgent infrastructure reforms.
U.S. Rep Laura Gillen — whose district includes a large portion of the parkway and who sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure — sent a letter in April to fellow Representatives Sam Graves and Rick Larsen, the chairman and ranking member of the committee, respectively, demanding federal attention to an “unacceptable nationwide increase in fatal traffic crashes.”
Gillen stated that the increase in traffic deaths — up 25 percent since 2014 — was a problem in her district, and that “More than 2,100 people have been killed and 16,000 have been severely injured in traffic accidents on Long Island’s dangerous roads over the past ten years.”
She went on to note that traffic accidents were the leading cause of death among young people on Long Island.
“We must do more,” she wrote, “to invest in infrastructure upgrades, creative road-planning, and new technologies to help prevent tragedies and save lives.”
Congress’s current surface transportation reauthorization, which provides states with the long-term stability they need to effectively plan and carry out major transportation infrastructure projects, expires Sept. 30, 2026.
In January 2025, the transportation committee began holding hearings to explore various aspects of the nation’s highway, transit and rail programs, helping members gather the information needed to shape upcoming legislation before the current law expires. What Gillen wants is hearings focusing on the nationwide increase in traffic fatalities.
Courtesy Michael Joyce/Herald file oversized vehicles, like tractor trailers, frequently strike overpasses near exit 18 in the West HempsteadLakeview area. above, a truck’s shredded top.
“Residents have long voiced concerns about the Southern State Parkway, Sunrise Highway, and other routes,” Gillen said at a news conference in April, at which she was joined by Assemblywoman Judy Griffin and Solages, “which have a disproportionate share of roadway injuries and fatalities on Long Island.”
Solages was responsible for obtaining $20 million in federal funding in 2022 to reconfigure the Southern State’s Exit 13 ramps — which have long been thought by locals to be particularly dangerous — as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s five-year, $32.8 billion state Department of Transportation capital plan.
“There have been many accidents on this road, two fatalities, pedestrians being struck by cars — it is a very dangerous intersection,” Solages told the Herald in May. “This is long overdue. The people in the community have tolerated this for a long time.”
Construction at the exits is expected to begin in spring 2027 and be completed by spring 2028.
Changes are also underway at Exit 15 in Valley Stream, as was reported by the Herald in April. The state DOT is eliminating the southbound exit ramp there, and all traffic will instead exit via a redesigned northbound ramp, Exit 15N, which will split into two southbound lanes and one northbound lane — consolidating the flow of more than 8,000 daily vehicles into a single intersection on Corona Avenue.
Final installment: Looking to the Southern State Parkway’s future.
Some facts on the Southern State
Notorious stretch
■ “Dead Man’s Curve” in Malverne — site of numerous crashes due to sharp turns.
Fatal collisions (1984–1990)
■ 14 head-on deaths led to median barriers between Exits 17 and 21.
Recent Investments (2022)
■ Total statewide: $157 million
Southern State allocation: Nearly $24 million
Upgrades included
■ Pavement renewal from Exit 20 (Grand Ave./ Baldwin Road) to State Route 110
■ Prior resurfacing from the Cross Island Parkway to South Hempstead
■ Repairs to 55 ramps across Nassau and Suffolk
■ 11 miles of roadway improved in Towns of Babylon and Islip
Technology upgrade
■ License plate readers installed: 22
■ Cost: $900,000 (State police grant secured by former State Sen. John Brooks)
■ Purpose: data collection, enhanced enforcement and deterrence of reckless driving
High-occupancy toll lane proposal
■ Backed by the Long Island Contractors Association
■ Would add a toll lane, not remove existing ones
Tim Baker/Herald
The Southern State handles 200,000 vehicles per day along its Nassau County stretch, and 130,000 in Suffolk.
Community hosts patriotic Flag Day event
By JUSTIN McKENZIE Correspondent
Dozens of members of the Malverne community gathered on a sunny Friday morning for a heartfelt Flag Day celebration hosted by American Legion Post 44.
Flag Day, officially observed on June 14th, commemorates the adoption of the United States flag in 1777. It serves as a reminder of the flag’s enduring symbolism of freedom, unity, and the sacrifices made in its name.
The community event, celebrated on June 13 at Chester A. Reese Veterans Memorial Park, captured the spirit of the holiday with stirring tributes and proud displays of patriotism. “I wasn’t there for Iwo Jima, but when I think of the flag, I think about firefighters raising the flag at ground zero. I think about the men and women that were carried out of that horror,” Mayor Tim Sullivan said, explaining what the flag means to him. “When I think of the flag, I think of sacrifice, honor, and reverence.”
“The American Flag fulfills many roles,” Post Commander Ron West said. “It can be an educator, a unifier and a symbol of U.S. strength. Few images capture more emotion than the flag acting as a blanket of freedom over the casket of fallen veterans.”
A centerpiece of the morning’s program was the announcement of winners in a student essay contest organized by the American Legion. Fifth-grade students from across Malverne — representing Our Lady of Lourdes, Grace Lutheran School, Davison Avenue, and James A. Dever schools — submitted essays explaining what the American flag means to them.
Three winners were selected from each school. Each honoree received a certificate and their very own American flag. The first-place winners from each
school were invited to take the podium and read their essays aloud, moving the audience with reflections on the flag’s history, its symbolic importance, and what it represents to them personally as young Americans. The event served as a powerful reminder of how the
News briefs
Malverne Select Choir takes first place
The Malverne High School Select Choir brought home three awards from the Music in the Parks Festival at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia.
On May 31, the Select Choir won first place in the high school division, as well as first place overall choir. In addition, Tatiyana Forbes Smith won best soloist for her interpretation of the lyr-
ics using American Sign Language.
Students Michael Lawless and Kaiden Ulysse conducted this year’s festival performances.
During the competition, the choir received a score of 96.7 — the highest score earned in Malverne High School history.
ideals represented by the flag—freedom, unity, and resilience—continue to inspire the next generation. Flag Day in Malverne was not only a celebration of the Stars and Stripes, but also a testament to the enduring values that bring people together.
Isabella Thames was selected to have her artwork displayed at the prestigious “Long Island’s Best: Young Artists at the Heckscher Museum” art exhibition.
Student photographer among “LI’s Best”
Malverne High School senior Isabella Thames was selected to have her artwork displayed at the prestigious “Long Island’s Best: Young Artists at the Heckscher Museum” art exhibition.
Thames’ digital image, “Epiphany,” was on display at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington through May 25. Her photograph was chosen over 400 other Long Island student entries
by a juried panel of artists. In addition, Thames’ photograph was selected for an extended showing at Mitchells Boutique in Huntington from May 28 through June 22. Only 16 of the works from the “Long Island’s Best” art show were chosen for this extended exhibit.
–Madison Gusler
Madison Gusler/Herald
The American Legion Post 44 held a Flag Day celebration in Gazebo Park on June 13. Fifth grade students from all the local schools discussed what the flag means to them.
–Madison Gusler
Courtesy Malverne school district
Malverne High School Select Choir earned two first place trophies at Music in the Park Festival at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. on May 31.
Courtesy Malverne school district
News brief
Malverne hosted 4th annual Poetry Slam
Malverne High School’s Library Media Center hosted its fourth annual poetry slam on April 30. A celebration of power and the importance of poetry as a form of art and personal expression, this year’s poems reflected the theme, “this is the world I want to live in. The shared world.”
Eight students took part in the poetry slam, performing original works for the audience and judges panel. The event was emceed by Lakeview public
library’s library aid, Stuart Oates.
After the performances, the judges deliberated before selecting the winners. First place was awarded to Khazeena Mahmood and her poem “Land of the Free.” Alyssa LaFaille took second place for her poem “The Invisible Ache: Endometriosis” and third place went to Kaiden Ulysse for his poem “Invasive.”
noam traeger was given the West Hempstead Community Support association’s annual Service award for his contributions to the community.
Local teen who donated 2,000+ books, honored
stead after finishing sixth grade, the community was still feeling the impact of the pandemic.
“People were so open, so kind, just openly helping each other,” he said. “It was really inspiring. The connection that everyone had with each other was really awesome to see.”
The outpouring of support within the West Hempstead community inspired Traeger’s book initiative — while also encouraging his civic engagements.
Traeger is a member of the West Hempstead Public Library’s Teen Library Council, which helps organize library events and programs targeting teens. Through the library council, he has jumped at the opportunity to engage in various volunteer projects, including writing letters for seniors and taking part in community clean-ups.
“We always try to emphasize involvement in community,” his mother, Zahava, said. “It’s great that he picked it up, and it’s really great to see him growing up and becoming such a good person.”
“It feels good to get this award for the
stuff I’ve done,” Traeger said. “It just inspires me to do more service around the community.”
Traeger is co-president of the Student Senate at his school, as well as cochairperson of peer tutoring, co-president of its National Honors Society, and editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper. He is also a member of the swim team at the Friedberg JCC in Oceanside.
Last week, in Washington, D.C., Traeger accepted a Congressional Award, which is given to young Americans who reach set goals in four categories: volunteer work, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration. Traeger received a Gold Medal award, which recognizes his initiative, service and achievements in the Congressional Award program.
“We’re extremely proud,” Traeger’s father, Nadav, said. “He’s put a lot of hours into this over the years. He cares, he wants to help people, and he really finds it gratifying.”
Traeger will attend Binghamton University in the fall, where he plans to study mechanical engineering.
Madison Gusler/Herald
–Madison Gusler
Courtesy Malverne school district
Competitors and judges gather before the start of the poetry Slam on april 30.
Recovered addict, D.A.’s office fight fentanyl
By ALEXIA CROLL Intern
After battling addiction, homelessness and a prison sentence, Richard Davis has been sober for nearly five decades — and now uses his story to fight the growing fentanyl crisis.
“I’m a heroin addict — I’m in my 48th year of recovery,” Davis said, sitting before a seminar on the dangers of fentanyl. “The disease of addiction doesn’t care about the substance it’s putting in its body. If the person’s drug of choice is crack cocaine or heroin — that’s what they want to go for.”
Davis has become a nationally certified life coach, recovery coach and interventionist.
“My father committed suicide,” he said. “I sat in Riker’s Island facing life in prison at 18 years old for selling coke that I needed to support the habit.”
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, 97 percent of individuals convicted of fentanyl trafficking have been sentenced to prison.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, far more potent than heroin or morphine. Medically, it’s prescribed in the form of pills, patches or lozenges to treat severe pain, including for cancer patients.
Illegally, it is often mixed with heroin or pressed into counterfeit pills. It is absorbed through the skin or ingested to produce a short-lived, euphoric high, but even in small amounts, it can be deadly. Just two milligrams of the drug can kill most adults.
The uptick of fentanyl came after 2020, during which the pill market became mainstream.
Nicholas Mauro, chief of the Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Bureau of the Nassau County district attorney’s office, gave a presentation on fentanyl and opiate overdose awareness at Hempstead Town Hall
battled addition,
Nicholas Mauro, bureau chief of the Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Bureau of the Nassau County district attorney’s office, who led a community seminar on drug overdose awareness.
on June 11.
Mauro discussed the ways in which law enforcement plan to mitigate harm, misconceptions about opiate usage and the history of the opioid crisis.
The “new” model of approaching the problem is pub-
lic health-focused, whereas the punitive, or “old,” model focused on targeting and punishing sellers and distributors as well as people in possession of narcotics.
“Now, that’s still an important part of the equation,” Mauro said. “No doubt that’s my primary job, to investigate and prosecute narcotics felonies.”
The shift toward a harm-reduction approach to substance abuse began with a change in the relationship between the public health sector and law enforcement. “The harm-reduction model focuses on public health, focuses on treatment, focuses on safe use, and it focuses on certainly reducing the instances of overdoses,” Mauro explained. “I think that both approaches need to find common ground so that we can get the individuals as a community.”
The percentages of both fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Nassau County declined steadily in 2024, compared with the rise in fatalities in 2020 and 2021, with slightly over 100 non-fatal overdoses and 17 fatal ones.
Cheryl Hunt, of Rochdale Village, attended the seminar because she said she want to protect her 13-yearold grandson. She waited patiently outside Town Hall for the presentation to begin, and said she believes the community “needs to be at these things.”
“One pill can kill” — the campaign slogan used by the Drug Enforcement Agency after its 2021 public awareness initiative — is intended to educate people about the dangers of counterfeit pills, a major contributor to the fentanyl crisis.
“Our kids have a spiritual disease,” Richard Davis said. “They’re not sticking needles in their arms, because they’re happy one is less expensive than the other. They’re self-medicating.”
For more information, go to the website of the state’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Oasas.Ny.gov.
Alexia Kroll/Herald
Kathy Spatz, left, with a photo of her late son, who
with
STEPPING OUT
June marks the arrival of one of the sweetest highlights of the year: strawberry season.
These vibrant, juicy berries are ripe for the picking, and their short window of peak freshness makes them all the more special. Now’s the perfect time to round up the family and head to one of the many local U-pick farms for a day of sun (hopefully), fun and berry gathering.
As spring gives way to summer, strawberries reach their flavorful peak here on Long Island, ripening through June. There’s nothing quite like the taste of just-picked fruit, so skip the cross-country supermarket imports and opt for homegrown goodness instead.
Once you’ve filled your baskets, bring the harvest back to your kitchen for a round of delicious homemade treats. Whether enjoyed by the handful or baked into something special, fresh strawberries are the perfect ingredient to brighten up any dish.
Double Strawberry Cheesecake
A classic cheesecake takes on added flavor with the addition of some luscious berries.
Graham cracker crust
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 1/2 crackers)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling and topping
• 16 ounces strawberries
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
Prepare graham cracker crust:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Stir graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Press into bottom and at least 1-inch up sides of a 9-inch non-stick springform
Boogie on with Disco Unlimited
butter). Bake until crust is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 300° F.
Then prepare filling:
Hull 1/2 of the strawberries and puree in a blender or food processor. You should have about 3/4 cup puree. Beat cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups sugar in an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, on low speed, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in strawberry puree until blended.
Pour batter into cooled pan. Bake cheesecake about 1 hour 20 minutes or until edges are just set and center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack 5 minutes.
Stir together sour cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Spread sour cream mixture on top of cheesecake in an even layer. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Turn oven off and prop the door ajar with the handle of a wooden spoon. Let cool in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely. Place in refrigerator and chill until cold throughout, 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
Using the remaining strawberries, halve them and arrange in concentric circles on top of cheesecake to serve.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Another summery favorite, for the pie lovers among us. Strawberries and rhubarb are a match made in heaven.
• 1 unbaked homemade double piecrust
• 2 1/2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 large stalks)
• 2 1/2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4inch pieces
Savor some flavorful berries
• 1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare the bottom crust by rolling out one of the pastry disks to an 11-inch circle. Nestle the crust inside the pan so about an inch hangs over the sides. Press the pastry down. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
2. Mix the fruit with the sugar, flour (or cornstarch) and lemon zest. Using the tines of a fork, poke the bottom of the pie crust evenly about five times. Pour the fruit mixture into the chilled pastry. Dot with the butter pieces.
3. Moisten the edge of the bottom crust with a finger dipped in water. Put on the top pastry in one piece and slice in a few air vents, or in a lattice pattern, trim, and crimp the edges.
4. Brush the egg glaze over the crust. Transfer the pie to a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake another 30 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack before serving.
Strawberry Avocado Salad
A refreshing and addicting summer salad.
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups torn salad greens
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 10 strawberries, sliced
• ½ cup chopped pecans (or your nut of choice)
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside. Place the salad greens in a pretty bowl, and top with sliced avocado and strawberries. Drizzle dressing over everything, then sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately.
Disco fever arrives at Eisenhower Park’s Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre. When Disco Unlimited hits the stage, you are instantly transported to a time when Saturday nights meant white suits, platform shoes and your very best dance moves. Capturing a time in music that to this day has not been matched, the exhilarating band draws you in with their powerful vocals, tight harmonies and dance grooves — all coupled with a synchronized stage and light show that creates an unforgettable concert experience. Close your eyes and it seems as if you’re listening to the original artists. Hear the best of Tavares, France Jolie, The Trammps, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Yvonne Elliman, Anita Ward, Deney Terrio, George McCrae, Bonnie Pointer, Melba Moore, Maxine Nightingale, Carol Douglas, and so much more. This group of unique and experienced musicians love and live disco. As always, bring seating Saturday, June 21, 7-9 p.m. Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit nassaucountyny.gov/ parks.
The Fab Faux
The Beatles find their way back to the stage — in the form of The Fab Faux. The band treats the seminal music with unwavering respect — known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). Far beyond being extended cover sets, their shows are an inspired rediscovery of The Beatles’ musical magic. In this concert, you’ll hear “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Abbey Road” in their entireties. In addition to their note-for-note accuracy, the band is famous for blurring the lines slightly and injecting their own musical personalities into the performances. Imagine hearing complex material like “Strawberry Fields Forever” or “I Am the Walrus” performed in complete part-perfect renditions; or such harmony-driven songs as “Because”, “Nowhere Man”, and “Paperback Writer,” reproduced with extra vocalists to achieve a doubletracked effect. That’s The Fab Faux experience.
Saturday, June 21, 8 p.m. $125, $110, $89.50, $79.50, $69.50, $49.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
Double Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Strawberry Avocado Salad
pan (if pan is not nonstick, brush first with melted
Your Neighborhood CALENDAR
JUNE
19
San Paolino Giglio Society 2025 Feast
The San Paolino Giglio Society welcomes all to their 2025 Feast at St. Thomas the Apostle RC Church.
•Where: 24 Westminster Rd., West Hempstead.
•Time: Through June 22; with dancing of the Giglio, June 21, 3 p.m.
JUNE
20
Midsummer Nights
Visitors of all ages are invited to Old Westbury Gardens to picnic, stroll, and relax on one of the longest nights of the year. The Gardens will be illuminated with lanterns and decorated with wreaths and floral arrangements for the annual spectacle. Bring a picnic dinner or purchase food and beverages on site from Café in the Woods. $22 general admission (20 percent off members), $8 ages 7-17 (20 percent off members).
•Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
•Time: Gates open at 6 p.m.
•Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
JUNE
21
Diana Walker Memorial Rock
The Block Party Celebrate summer reading with Lakeview Public Library. Enjoy games, food, family fun, outdoor activities and vendors. Register in advance.
•Where: 1120 Woodfield Road, Lakeview
•Time: 1 p.m.
•Contact: lakeviewlibrary.org
Pancake Fundraiser
Support the Malverne High School Select Choir’s fundraiser for its trip to Italy. Enjoy pancakes, bacon, sausage patties, and juice. $20 adult, $10 per child ages six and under at the door; $15, $8 per child in advance.
•Where: 80 Ocean Ave.; enter in back of school, at the band room
•Time: 9-11 a.m.
JUNE
22
Rainbow Run
Join the Long Island running community for a prideful run in Eisenhower Park, supporting PFY, a division of the Long Island Crisis Center.
•Where: Eisenhower Park Field 2
•Time: 9 a.m.
•Contact: EliteFeats. com/25rainbow
JUNE
Led Zeppelin fans, rejoice!
Kiwanis Bicycle Challenge
Ride in support of others. The Nassau Bicycle Challenge (formerly Nassau to Suffolk Bicycle Challenge) supports the work of the Kiwanis Club of North Shore Foundation. It supports charities such as Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center, Pediatric Lyme Disease Foundation, Kamp Kiwanis, NOSH, Boys and Girls Club and charities aligned with those of Kiwanis International “Serving the Children of the World”, including Kiwanis’ signature programs of Klothes 4 Kids, Koats 4 Kids and Kicks 4 Kids. The beautiful ride through the Gold Coast features picturesque vistas and water views. Choose from a 25 mile loop with 1,060 feet of vertical climb or the more challenging ride with an additional 10 mile loop, totalling 35 miles, with 1,600 feet of vertical climb. Routes are clearly marked and ride is equipped with a rest stop. Snacks and water provided. Sponsorships also available. Online registration ends June 24, but walk-ins are welcome. Online registration is $50, day of is $60.
JUNE
23
Library Board
of Trustees meet West Hempstead Public Library Board of Trustees discuss the monthly business of the library.
•Where: 500 Hempstead Ave., West Hempstead
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: whplibrary.org
JUNE
Narcan Training
Town of Hempstead Councilwoman
Laura Ryder hosts a Narcan training at Lakeview Public Library. A trained medic gives an informative presentation about Narcan and overdose prevention. Kits will be distributed after the course and the Town of Hempstead will send raining certifications to residents who attend the course.
•Where: 1120 Woodfield Rd. Lakeview
•Time: 6:30 p.m.
•Contact: lakeviewlibrary.org
Little Learners Art Lab
Each week in this engaging workshop, participants are introduced to hands-
on materials, artmaking, and inspiration from artists and techniques. Young kids, ages 2-5, build critical thinking skills, expand vocabulary, and support imaginations as they play, create and explore. This week families explore texture by making an octopus bubble wrap print and creating sea creatures. $4 with museum admission.
•Where: Museum Row, Garden City
•Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon
•Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
Tunes in the park
Eisenhower Park welcomes the classic pop-rock band Orleans and Atlantic Rhythm Section for an lively evening of tunes under the stars. Rock on to “So Into You,” “Champagne Jam,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Homesick.” Enjoy Orleans classic trademark harmonies that come alive in their iconic radio hits, including “Still The One,” “ance With Me,” and “Love Takes Time.”
•Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
•Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 8 p.m.
•Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
Get The Led Out returns to the Paramount with “A Celebration of the Mighty Zep,” two electrifying nights of classic rock, running through June 28. The six veteran musicians who make up the Philadelphia-based group delivers Led Zeppelin live with the all passion and fury these blues-soaked, groove-driven rock anthems deserve. Hailed for their powerful tribute to what many consider the greatest rock band of all time, the band delivers a faithful and high-octane recreation of Zeppelin’s iconic sound. From thunderous anthems to mystical acoustic ballads, GTLO captures the full range of Led Zeppelin’s brilliance — complete with the layered instrumentation and soaring dynamics that the band rarely performed live. When an album calls for three guitars, GTLO brings three guitarists to the stage — no shortcuts, no gimmicks. With no wigs or phony accents, just pure musical passion, GTLO focuses on the legendary band’s early years and dives deep into beloved hits and rare cuts alike. Their approach is reverent and precise, more like a classical concert than a cover band — a true celebration of timeless rock. $75, $45, $35.
On Exhibit
JUNE
Nassau County Museum of Art unveils its new exhibition, “At Play,” a survey of artists’ perennial fascination with entertainment in all forms. Framing this topic between the nineteenth century Belle Époque and today, the exhibit includes works by Pablo Picasso, Reginald Marsh, Everett Shinn, and Max Beckmann among many others. The works are gathered to represent a wide range of expressions, from entertainment-related activities to the fascinating personalities involved. It encompasses dance, music, theater, movies, circus, boating, and beach scenes, along with horseracing and various sports, both active and passive Also featured are archival items from The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, including costumes by Marc Chagall for Die Zauberflöte, vintage fashion items by such designers as Alfred Shaheen, and iconic costumes from the FoliesBergère in Paris. On view June 28 to Nov. 9.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: Ongoing
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
•Where: Starting at Harry Tappen Beach, Sea Cliff
•Time: Staggered starts, rain or shine
•Contact: n2nbc.org
Malverne Historical Society honors police history
Malverne Historical Society hosts a police history celebration. Come and support the Malverne Police Department! This is a free event open to all.
•Where: 369 Ocean Ave., Malverne
•Time: 2-4 p.m.
Having an event?
Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.
Malverne Community Theatre performs at Farm
By MADISON GUSLER mgusler@liherald.com
“Et tu, Brute?” The Malverne Community Theatre company will be performing “Julius Caesar” during their annual Shakespeare at the Farm event at the end of June.
“I’ve always guided this with the mission that we’re going to do theater in a unique and creative way. We try to keep it artistic and fun,” David Coonan, artistic director and president of the Malverne Community Theatre, said. Coonan, a Malverne native, revived the nonprofit theatre in 2012 to “add to the artistic and theatrical landscape of Malverne and the surrounding communities.”
MCT will be performing Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” this summer. The tragedy is based on real historical events that led to the assassination of
Julius Caesar.
This year, the play will take place outdoors, with actors performing on a stage, with lighting and microphones. They will also interact with the crowd and used the audience in their performance. Taking the stage outdoors allows for a larger crowd to attend, after all three shows sold out last year.
Shakespeare at the Farm will have performance at Crossroads Farm on June 27 at 8:30 p.m., June 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. To buy tickets, visit www.malvernetheatre.org.
Members of the Malverne Community Theatre rehearse for their upcoming performances of Julius Caesar. Shakespeare at the Farm will be June 27-29.
Father’s Day
crafting in Malverne and Lakeview
Libraries in Malverne and Lakeview celebrated Father’s Day by hosting craft programs last week. Children were invited to come visit the library and create a gift to give to their Dads.
In Lakeview, children’s librarian Ivy Reckson read Father’s Day stories to attendees. During the program, the painted Dad Rocks, created cards and put together memory books.
In Malverne, residents dropped by the library’s children’s room to complete some coloring for their Dads.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF THE IGLOO SERIES IV TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. RADIA BEDJIL, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS SURVIVING SPOUSE OF RACHID LARBI-CHERIF, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 21, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 8, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 21 Cambridge Street, Malverne, NY 11565. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Malverne, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 38, Block 29 and Lots 381 - 382. Approximate amount of judgment is $610,790.81 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #005299/2015. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee
Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 211319-1 153923
LEGAL NOTICE LOST TITLE APPLICATION NO.: 2619026 OFFICE OF TITLES NOTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 82 OF THE REGISTRATION OF TITLES ACT (RTA) WHEREAS the applicant(s) in the above stated application has/have declared that the following duplicate Certificate of Title has been lost, I HEREBY GIVE NOTICE that I intend to cancel the said Certificate of Title and issue a new one in duplicate fourteen days after the last publication of this advertisement. Volume: 1322 Folio: 367 Lot: 46 Place: Southhaven part of Lloyds Pen Parish: St. Thomas Registered proprietor(s): Ronald Norman Hibbert The following transactions lodged with this application will be registered pursuant to section 81 of the RTA: Application to be Registered on Transmission 2619025 L. Dunbar Deputy Registrar of Titles 154124
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 06/25/2025 at 9:30 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals: THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30
A.M. 335/25. WEST HEMPSTEAD - Andrew Kaufman & Leah Schwalb, Variances, lot area occupied, side yards aggregate, maintain 2-story addition, 2nd story additions & roofed over open porch (additions & alterations in excess of 50% - new co required)., S/s Colonade Rd., 400.41’ E/o Wildwood Rd., a/k/a 657 Colonade Rd. 337/25. - 338/25. WEST HEMPSTEAD - Joseph & Mia Murphy, Variance, side yards aggregate, construct 2nd story addition with deck, landing & stairs attached to dwelling; Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen)., S/s
Concord Ave., 200’ W/o New York Ave., a/k/a 349 Concord Ave. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in West Hempstead within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo
Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 154120
PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
Madison Gusler/Herald
–Madison Gusler
Courtesy Malverne Public Library Patrons stopped by the Malverne library to complete a Father’s Day activity.
Courtesy Lakeview Public Library Residents attended created Father’s Day gifts at the Lakeview library.
EMPLOYMENT
Help Wanted
Alterations Seamstress Flexible P/T, Experienced For Women's Clothing And Gowns. Work From Home. Must Have Proper Sewing Machine And Be Able To Speak And Read English. Lawrence Location. Text 516-314-4810
AUTO SALES
Gregoris Subaru Seeking Responsible Mature Individual To Join Family Run Dealership Will Train The Right Person Sales Experience Preferred But Not Necessary Salary, Commission, Benefits $50K-$75K/ Year 516-825-8700, Ask For Jay
DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! $22 - $27/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778 Email: info@bellautoschool.com
Health Care/Opportunities
HEALTHCARE WORKER with 40Yrs Experience Working with the Aging/ Geriatric Population is Seeking Position Caring for a Senior with Flexible Scheduling. 516-640-4204
Eldercare Offered
PRIVATE SENIOR RESIDENCE: Your Loved Ones Will Be Treated Like Family. Basic Care Provided. Meals, Laundry, Housekeeping & Gym Onsite. PRIVATE PAY ONLY. arlinresidence@gmail.com 914-462-0624
To place an ad call 516-569-4000
Hamptons-Style Living…
Just minutes from Manhattan. Step into this luxurious backyard and experience the showpiece of Resort-Style Outdoor Living in the heart of Rockville Centre. Perfect for entertaining or unwinding year-round, this outdoor space is a true sanctuary: 30' Heated Saltwater Pool with fountains, evening lighting, and an electronic cover. Custom Pavilion featuring a complete outdoor kitchen, gas stone fireplace, designer ceiling fans, infrared heaters, and comfortable lounge seating area. Bluestone Patio, Private Cabana,
‘Do we have to take care of any of these things?
Q. We purchased a home three years ago, knowing we wanted to make changes. When we started interviewing people, especially architects, we started hearing things we hadn’t expected about permits — or lack thereof, I should say. Two people told us our attic was illegal because it was finished with a bedroom. Same for our basement, which has a guest room and bathroom. We were also told that a record showed an open plumbing permit, and that we would need an electrical inspection. When we closed on the house, we thought all this was taken care of. If we bought it this way, why is it our problem? Do we have to take care of any of these things, since they have been there a very long time?
A. Unfortunately, you have to take care of any and all of the issues you described, plus any others you still need to know about, or roll the dice.
When a loved one is being treated in a hospital, I often hear about how someone had to be vigilant for that person, standing by, making certain observations so that the smallest health issues didn’t worsen. The same holds true for building sales, and only someone who is knowledgeable about the local zoning and building requirements, state building codes and structural issues can guide you thoroughly. Almost nobody is in that unique position, except an architect who works in the area.
Although some local architects have offered that service, real estate sales people and attorneys often don’t ask for this help. Most buyers mistakenly assume that zoning and building code issues have been researched by the title company, but title companies, when asked, often tell customers that details of zoning, construction and building permits, especially for internal building areas, are not part of their work.
I have this conversation almost daily with potential customers, and many are completely unaware of problems, potential delays and especially the costs they have not yet considered. Recently, after I explained the issues, a husband turned to his wife and said, “I’m not doing all those things — I just want this done.” And don’t we all! They hired someone else who tried to avoid the issues, and have now been turned down, because part of what they wanted to do was divide their home into multiple living spaces, which the local jurisdiction would never allow. So they spent a lot of money for none of the results. I even told them about areas that could accept what they wanted to do, just not this one. So it may pay to get the consultation of someone who understands the many, many nuances of the building codes, the local zoning and the physical properties of the building, and who can guide you with a game plan. It can save you years of aggravation, lamenting over what you hoped to gain and thousands of dollars trying to achieve the unachievable. Or you can listen to confident, bad advice and roll the dice. Good luck!
© 2025 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
opinions
We must protect our way of life
Growing up in Levittown and now raising my family just doors from the home where I was raised, I’ve seen firsthand what makes our suburban way of life so special — safe neighborhoods, good schools, and a culture that values family and hard work. As a Nassau County legislator, I have made it my responsibility to protect those values.
When the prior administration scheduled $150 million in property tax hikes, I stood firm and helped stop it. I worked to cut over $70 million in property taxes, and have frozen property taxes in every budget since. At the same time, I helped make Nassau the safest county in America by investing in police, increasing neighborhood patrols and ensuring that law enforcement has the resources it needs to fight crime.
In addition to holding the line on taxes and keeping neighbors safe, being an elected official is also about standing up when outside forces try to change who we are. And when you’re the supervisor of America’s largest township, that responsibility is even greater — because you’re the last line of defense between local families and extremist politicians in Albany who think they know better than we do.
extremist politicians in Albany think they know what works better than we do.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s socalled “Housing Compact” is the perfect example. While it has been repackaged, renamed and reintroduced by state legislators over the past three years, the goal is the same every time: to override local zoning, strip away community input and force high-density, city-style housing into residential neighborhoods.
From mandating thousands of new apartments near every Long Island Rail Road station to allowing spot zoning — which means large-scale buildings
could go up right next to single-family homes — this plan would have a devastating impact on local schools, traffic, parking and emergency services. For residents like us, it would mean a massive strain on infrastructure, with overcrowded classrooms, overflowing parking, and longer response times for police and first responders. It would be an irreversible blow to the suburban character our families have spent generations building.
This flawed policy is a direct attack on local control — just like congestion pricing. Thanks to the governor, hardworking Long Islanders are now slammed with a $9 tax every time they drive into Manhattan — a steep penalty for thousands of residents who rely on their cars for work, medical appointments and everyday responsibilities. Worse, none of the revenue returns to our local communities. Instead, it funds the chronically mismanaged Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has
long prioritized New York City while neglecting Long Island’s needs. That’s not a transit plan — it’s a commuter tax on the middle class.
These are the kinds of attacks on our way of life that our town supervisor must be ready to stop — because no one else is going to do it for us.
I’ve already shown that I’m willing to take on tough fights. I helped block a massive county tax increase, fought to deliver a property tax cut, and never stopped pushing to make Long Island more affordable. I stood with police when others stayed silent. And I stood with taxpayers every time Albany reached into our wallets.
Now I’m running for town supervisor to take that fight to the next level — to protect our neighborhoods, defend our zoning laws and preserve the quality of life that generations of Long Islanders have worked to build. For me, this job isn’t about politics. It’s about standing up for our way of life.
John Ferretti represents Nassau County’s 15th Legislative District and is the Republican candidate for Hempstead town supervisor.
Backdoor taxes are hurting Hempstead families
Last year, the Town of Hempstead raised taxes on residents by a staggering 12.1 percent — one of the largest hikes in recent memory. We were told the town needed more revenue to maintain services and balance the budget. But anyone who lives here knows the truth: Services are getting worse, roads are crumbling, and the only thing growing in the town is frustration. Meanwhile, another quiet tax has taken hold: the school bus camera ticket program.
Right now, just four school districts in the township are taking part in this program, which levies $250 fines on drivers who allegedly pass stopped school buses. The goal sounds noble — protecting schoolchildren. But like many things in government, the execution tells a different story.
Here’s how it works: the town keeps
55 percent of the revenue, and the private company running the program gets the other 45 percent. If all the tickets are paid, the program could bring in nearly $20 million from those four districts alone. So where is that money going? Certainly not into road repaving, expanded public services or tax cuts. Instead we’re seeing a familiar pattern: a bloated government structure that keeps squeezing taxpayers while delivering less in return.
RIt’s no coincidence. The same people who run the Town of Hempstead also run the County of Nassau. And they’ve adopted the same playbook: Hit residents with fees and fines, call it safety, and count the cash behind closed doors.
esidents of the township are being squeezed from every direction.
And just like we’ve seen with the red-light camera scandal in Nassau County, the bus camera program risks turning into another legal and financial disaster. In the red-light program, county officials illegally added a $100 administrative fee on top of the state’s $50 fine. The result? Multiple lawsuits, a court ruling that the fee was illegal, and the county will now potentially have to refund hundreds of millions of dollars. It was yet another crisis created by those who treat enforcement as a revenue stream.
Do we really want to repeat that mistake here in Hempstead?
Let me be clear: I believe in protecting schoolchildren. No one wants unsafe drivers near our schools and children. But I also believe in fairness, transparency and common sense. The way this program is currently designed and executed fails on all three counts.
As town supervisor, I will fight to:
■ Reform the bus camera program so that it targets only truly dangerous driving, not technicalities or innocent misunderstandings.
■ Increase transparency around where ticket revenue is going, and ensure that it’s reinvested in school safety, public infrastructure and tax cuts, not wasted
on political appointees and bloated payrolls.
■ Roll back the shameful 12 percent tax hike and conduct a top-to-bottom audit of every contract and department in order to root out the waste, fraud and abuse that’s draining taxpayer dollars.
Right now, Hempstead residents are being squeezed from every direction, through property taxes, inflated permit fees and $250 bus camera tickets. It’s not sustainable. It’s not right. And it’s not how you build a community that people want to stay in.
The town doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem. And this camera cash grab is just the latest example.
We can have safe streets and fair government. But it starts with leadership that respects taxpayers, not leadership that treats them like walking ATMs. Let’s fix this together.
Joseph Scianablo, a former New York City police officer and an attorney, is the Democratic candidate for town supervisor.
john feRRetti
opinions
Medicaid cuts threaten our health and economic stability
once again, our health care system is facing a serious threat. The so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” recently approved by the House of Representatives and now pending in the U.S. Senate, threatens to dismantle Medicaid and essential health programs that millions of New Yorkers rely on.
judy
Behind the bill’s catchy name lies a dangerous reality that would leave almost 1.5 million New Yorkers uninsured and create severe financial strain on hospitals and communities across our state. Given the massive amount of federal taxes hardworking residents send to Washington every year, we deserve better than this ill-conceived plan, which takes more taxes from our citizens than it returns in services.
In New York, we’ve worked hard to ensure that affordable health care reaches as many people as possible. The NYS Essential Plan helps hundreds of thousands of lower-income residents — those who earn too much to use Medicaid but still can’t afford private insurance — get reliable coverage. The proposed federal
bill, however, would strip an estimated $7.5 billion in federal tax credits from the Essential Plan, forcing some 224,000 people off their current health insurance.
Investing in health care makes fiscal sense, because healthier communities mean lower emergencyroom costs, fewer missed workdays and stronger local economies. But forcing the state to shoulder this alone is economically short-sighted. New York faces a staggering $13.5 billion gap in health care funding if the bill becomes law. That shortfall isn’t just numbers on a page — it represents hospitals struggling to stay open, health care workers losing jobs and families losing vital services. Our hospitals alone could see losses of $3 billion annually, a financial blow that many facilities simply couldn’t withstand. Specifically, hospitals in Nassau County are facing an $82.2 million cut, and hospitals in Suffolk County, $70.1 million.
in New York, we face a staggering $13.5 billion gap in health care funding.
In an effort to clarify what Medicaid is and to better understand why it is so expensive, it should be noted that federal law requires states to provide specific mandatory benefits, while permitting additional services if they opt to do so. Mandatory benefits are the most costly, and include things such as emergency services; inpatient and outpatient hospital care; direct physician care; residential nursing homes; certified pediatric or family nurse practitioner services; laboratory and X-ray services; home health care; and freestanding birth centers. Examples of optional services are hospice care; dentures and other dental coverage; chiropractic care; physical therapy; vision care and eyeglasses; and auditory services.
Medicaid. To expect us to pay even more by absorbing the shockwaves of irresponsible and politically charged federal budgeting is a completely unacceptable and unreasonable proposition for the hardworking taxpayers of Long Island and the rest of the state.
We cannot let misleading political arguments divide us. This bill would harm families, essential workers, pregnant women, children, the elderly and disabled, and legal immigrants. These are our friends, neighbors and coworkers — people who deserve dignity, care and compassion, not political scapegoating.
Now more than ever, it is essential that our senators resist this harmful bill. We must advocate relentlessly to protect Medicaid, the Essential Plan, and health care access for all New Yorkers. Health care isn’t something we can play politics with — it’s a fundamental right and a critical investment in our state’s future.
Our state fiscal experts have summed it up clearly: Replacing $13.5 billion in lost federal support would be virtually impossible without severe cuts. If this bill passes, our State Legislature would face the heartbreaking reality of reducing and eliminating health care benefits, services and jobs. These aren’t choices anyone wants to make.
Make no mistake about it, the cuts being finalized in the Senate would allow the federal government to continue collecting our tax dollars, and continue mandating costly services, while slashing the funding states need to provide the most expensive Medicaid services. New York already subsidizes several other states’ Medicaid costs, because our incomes are higher than those in other states that have widespread poverty and low wages. New Yorkers have been paying more than our federal fair share for
The federal government should not prevent access to health care for our most vulnerable in order to provide a tax break to billionaires. Our communities thrive when everyone feels safe and has that care. Let’s ensure that every New Yorker can access the health care they need. Our shared health, economic strength and community well-being depend on it.
Judy Griffin represents the 21st Assembly District.
Cars over trains and buses: Long Island’s original sin
As concern grows over the increasing number of fatalities on the roads of Nassau and Suffolk counties, it’s worth considering how transportation decisions made 100 years ago continue to contribute to today’s driving dangers.
The carnage on the parkways and expressways is largely the product of Long Island’s original sin: enormous resources lavished on road construction and a comparative pittance spent on bus and train infrastructure. Had New York State buildersupreme Robert Moses directed a better-balanced share of public funds to public transit, driving would surely have become a less common form of conveyance. And with fewer cars on the roads, crashes would have occurred less often. Hundreds of the 2,100 lives lost on Long Island in the past decade could have been saved and many of the 16,000 injuries prevented.
Moses’ privileging of motor vehicle
travel can perhaps be excused in retrospect as the inevitable outgrowth of the car-crazed era in which he lived. But it isn’t as though alternate visions were lacking in the 1920s, ’30s and beyond. It’s just that the intellectually arrogant Moses rejected them as “stupid, long-winded, contentious and impractical.”
AThat curt dismissal is quoted in “The Power Broker,” Robert Caro’s biography of Moses. Planners not beholden to the car czar came to realize, Caro writes, that “the more highways were built to alleviate congestion, the more automobiles would pour onto them and congest them and thus force the building of more highways.”
Long Island’s alluring beaches, but the large number of New Yorkers without cars could not reach them on buses.
The expressways that Moses also constructed did allow commercial traffic. But he again made sure that they would be used only by drivers.
nd with fewer cars on the roads, crashes would have occurred less often.
And that is exactly what has happened on Long Island — with heartbreaking results. Moses’ own vision of a lacy network of “parkways” — tree-lined roads free of commercial traffic and adjacent development — was fully achieved due to his unbridled political power. And he designed the Northern State, Southern State and others with low-clearance bridges to ensure that only cars would be able to use them. Many of these roads were built to afford access to
More far-sighted planners had urged that a railway be built on the median of the Long Island Expressway. It would have been the centerpiece of an expanded Long Island Rail Road system that could have included freight trains. That would, in turn, have encouraged local siting of businesses employing thousands of workers who would no longer have needed to drive to and from jobs in Manhattan.
Moses didn’t want that to happen, however — and so it did not.
Similarly, experts at the Regional Plan Association suggested in the 1930s that the Whitestone Bridge be designed to accommodate train tracks. They would have efficiently linked Long Island with the Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut. But because Moses vetoed that idea as well, the only direct way to reach Nassau and Suffolk from the north
would be via cars. “And this would condemn Long Island to future inundation by larger and larger numbers of automobiles,” Caro observes.
Because of this conscious determination to create a car-centric transportation system, Nassau and Suffolk drivers not only face elevated risks of being killed or injured, but are constantly stuck in traffic jams.
This sad story will not have a happy ending. Long Island can never entirely undo the damage that Moses and his enablers inflicted on it. “Build railroads at the same time that you were building roads,” Caro says of the pivotal period in the mid-20th century, “and solving the transportation problem would be greatly simplified. Pour all available funds into roads without building railroads, and that problem would never be solved.”
And so drivers on Long Island are left to take their chances along “Blood Alley” on the Southern State and “Dead Man’s Curve” on the Cross Island Parkway.
Just as there will be no resurrections of the 2,100 people killed on Long Island roads between 2014 and 2023, there’s no returning to the time when the transport system could have been designed rationally and humanely.
griffin
Kevin J. Kelley, of Atlantic Beach, is a retired journalist and journalism professor.
KEVin j. KELLEy
Malverne/West
Also
Active smart growth: the blueprint for L.I.
Gusler
rhonda GlickMan Vice President - Sales office
2 Endo
Web:
HERALD
elected leaders, developers and advocates of smart growth gathered to celebrate innovation and forward-thinking design at the annual Vision Long Island Smart Growth Awards at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury last Friday.
Vision Long Island, a Northportbased nonprofit, honored standout projects across Nassau and Suffolk counties that are improving quality of life, revitalizing neighborhoods and setting a standard for the future of the Island.
The organization has been a champion of smart growth — a planning approach that emphasizes walkable communities, transit-oriented development, mixed-use projects, affordable housing and sustainability — for more than 25 years. Its advocacy, educational outreach and planning assistance have helped make possible some of the region’s most transformative developments.
Among this year’s award-winning projects are examples of how collaboration among civic leaders, developers and communities can lead to impactful change. Transit-oriented development stood out prominently.
One of the honorees, the Langdon, in Lynbrook, developed by Breslin Realty, Fields Grade and the village, has 201 luxury rental units with concierge service and upscale amenities just steps from the community’s Long Island Rail Road station.
Smaller-scale projects are equally important. In Babylon, Zucaro Con-
letters
Don’t forget that horse named Journalism
To the Editor:
struction developed a 27-unit residential building that is bringing new life to the downtown corridor.
These kinds of developments are helping young professionals and families stay on Long Island, close to work and transit, and energizing local economies.
Affordable housing remains a critical need across Long Island, and projects like those spearheaded by the Uniondale Community Land Trust demonstrate how nonprofits can drive change. The trust, which recently hosted its fourth annual Long Island Housing Symposium, continues to champion homeownership and affordability, and held its most recent housing lottery in February.
In Rockville Centre, a $32 million project by the village, its housing authority and D&F Development renovated the Rockville Manor senior housing complex, adding six new units as well as an elevator, funded in part by New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the Nassau County Office of Community Development.
The Smart Growth Awards also spotlighted innovations in clean energy. The Town of Hempstead’s Clean Energy Park, in Point Lookout, conceived in 2006, has become a model for sustainable municipal operations. It features a wind turbine, a hydrogen fueling station, a solar-powered shellfish nursery, a geothermal government office and a 100-kilowatt solar field. It not only powers services sustainably, but also serves as a public education hub and an example for the private sector of the advan-
Re the editorial “Horse Named Journalism showed what’s possible” (May 22-18): I agree that journalism is suffering and losing ground, and that there is a crucial need for local reporting to help sustain the backbone of our society, which remains our local communities. As a former journalist, now retired, I have complained to anyone who would listen about the decline in good reporting. It began decades ago, when television news shifted from good reporting in the 1950s and ’60s to entertainment, beginning in the ’80s. As more and more people watched the ever-expanding TV news, even the large city newspapers began to compete in order to capture readers’ attention. What resulted were more sensational stories about subjects that weren’t important, but which they suspected would be of more interest to readers. And while we learned in our journalism classes that what makes news is what interests readers, that’s not always good journalism.
In addition, while TV and radio news often present-
tages of clean energy.
Efforts to strengthen local businesses and Main Streets were also recognized. The village of Farmingdale, in partnership with the Nassau County Office of Community Development, implemented a $150,000 program to replace signs, lighting and awnings using federal block grant funding. Landlords and tenants are covering just 20 percent of the cost, with the rest paid for by the grant. The initiative has created a visually cohesive downtown, boosting “curb appeal” as well as foot traffic.
These projects represent more than just physical improvements — they reflect values that matter to Long Islanders: sustainability, affordability, accessibility and smart investment in the future. They also prove that strategic planning, when guided by community input based on local needs, can transform neighborhoods and enhance residents’ lives.
As we celebrate the achievements recognized at the Smart Growth Awards, we urge municipal governments, civic organizations, village leaders and developers across Nassau and Suffolk to take note. Whether it’s revitalizing a main street, building mixed-use housing near transit, greening public spaces or supporting affordable homeownership, now is the time to adopt what works.
Smart growth isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor — it is a flexible, communitycentered approach to planning for the future. The blueprints are in place. The success stories are multiplying. Let’s keep the momentum going.
opinions
Centrist Democrats need to listen, learn and lead
two weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking at WelcomeFest, the nation’s largest gathering of centrist Democrats. Held in Washington, D.C., the event brought together a growing coalition committed to reshaping our party with one urgent mission: connecting with the American people again. This year’s theme, “Responsibility to Win,” says it all. The American people are asking tough questions: Do Democrats hear me? Do they understand my struggles? Will they deliver real results? Too often, the answer feels like “no.” If you ask most American voters what the top five issues they are most concerned about are, they’ll say: the economy, immigration, taxes, crime, and health care. If you ask the same people what the Democrats are most focused on, they’ll say: choice, LGBTQ protections, health care (fortunately there’s some crossover there), protecting democracy, and climate change. While all of these issues are important,
the disconnect between what “the people” are most concerned about and what they see as Democrats’ focus must be addressed.
I was invited to speak at WelcomeFest because I’m one of the few Democrats who won in a district that President Trump won. I didn’t do it by hiding. I did it by showing up, listening and being honest — even when it wasn’t easy.
GIn my district, voters don’t want lectures. They don’t want candidates who message ideologically, technocratically or in a way that is simply out of touch. They want leaders who understand their concerns and take action to improve their lives. If you’re working two jobs and still can’t afford rent or groceries — or if your neighborhood feels less safe, or the border looks like chaos — you’re not asking for a white paper. You want someone who will do something and deliver real results.
ing on bipartisan legislation to
1. Secure the border.
2. Fix the broken asylum system.
3. Reform the legal immigration system and legalize Dreamers, TPS recipients, farmworkers, health care workers and others who have been here contributing for decades.
ood ideas mean nothing if they don’t connect to people’s real lives.
Good ideas mean nothing if they don’t connect to the real lives of working people. Our country has seen enormous growth in the past 50 years, but so many Americans feel that our economy has failed them. They work hard, but struggle to see the fruits of their own labor. Millions of Americans are crushed by insufficient wages, rising costs and their inability to afford to buy a home. The middle class is disappearing.
In many ways, the American dream no longer feels attainable.
We have to do something.
I take that seriously. That’s why I backed the bipartisan Senate border deal. I said the border is broken — because it is. Not everyone agreed with me, but they respected that I was clear, direct and actionable.
That’s why, in Congress, I am work-
ed the story first, it was always the print newspapers that got the complete story, because the reporters took the time to get it right.
We are far too late to save all those big city newspapers across the country that have disappeared from print and can now only be found online. That would be OK if only more people were reading beyond the headlines online. That’s why we urgently need to protect and preserve local newspapers in print, to further protect and preserve the strength of the local communities in which we live. Life begins in the local communities across our great country. Even our forefathers knew this when they formed the country, preserving the rights of the states with the trickledown result where local cities and towns protect their own interests.
Our newspapers need to inform the populace in our communities, and we all need to read and understand what is happening where we live. It will impact our quality of life. That’s how important local news is to each and every one of us.
RICHARD KAHN Glen Cove
I am for increasing the minimum wage, supporting union workers, and creating opportunities for more people to live the American dream. Everyone, whether a left-wing progressive or a right-wing conservative, should believe that, in America, hard work will be
Letters
Fighting the fentanyl
crisis
To the Editor:
With more than 30 years of service in the Nassau County district attorney’s office, I’ve seen firsthand the heartbreaking toll the opioid epidemic has taken on our communities — especially the rise of fentanyl. This synthetic opioid, up to 100 times stronger than morphine, isn’t just another drug — it’s a weapon of mass destruction.
In 2022 alone, fentanyl was responsible for roughly 70 percent of overdose deaths. These aren’t faceless statistics. These are our children, our friends, our neighbors. And tragically, many of their deaths could have been prevented if Albany had not handcuffed law enforcement in the name of so-called “reform.”
My office is fighting this crisis headon: We’re aggressively prosecuting drug dealers who profit off misery and death, we’re expanding education and prevention initiatives, and we’re working with partners in health care and treatment services to support victims
and families. At the same time, we are also being forced to fight Gov. Kathy Hochul and extreme politicians in Albany because of their radical policies, which protect drug dealers and make life more dangerous for victims and all law-abiding citizens.
Under Hochul and extremist lawmakers who have taken control of the State Legislature, New York’s criminal justice system has been fundamentally weakened. Their reckless cashless-bail laws have made virtually all drug offenses — including those involving deadly fentanyl — ineligible for bail. That means known drug dealers walk free within hours of being arrested, often returning to the very communities they poisoned. The result? More overdoses, more deaths and more shattered families.
To make matters worse, Hochul and her political allies also implemented sweeping discovery laws that place an overwhelming burden on prosecutors and intimidate the victims and witnesses we rely on to build strong cases. These laws require prosecutors to rapidly turn over extensive evidence — including witness names and state-
rewarded.
If you work hard, you should make enough money to buy a home, educate your kids, pay for health insurance, and retire one day without being scared.
But leading isn’t just about having the right ideas — it’s about meeting people where they are. Americans don’t want jargon. They want to be sure that people like me, who are elected to represent and serve them, hear their concerns and are doing something about those concerns by working with other elected officials to find common ground to get things done.
At the end of the day, voters want to know three things: Are you listening? Do you care? Will you work to get the job done?
Leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, have to orient their policies around values that unite working people: economic opportunity, fairness and the dignity of work. To do that, we have to first listen and learn with empathy, clarity and conviction.
That’s how I campaign. That’s how I govern. It’s not about the noise. It’s about the people. It’s about delivering real results that make working people’s lives better.
Let’s stop talking past them and start fighting for them.
Tom Suozzi represents the 3rd Congressional District.
ments — days after arraignment, often putting victims and witnesses at risk of retaliation. This has had a chilling effect, particularly in drug-related cases, where intimidation is a common tactic used by gangs and drug networks. Albany’s so-called reforms are emboldening the criminals while endangering our communities.
Despite these challenges, our office remains committed to protecting Nassau County families. We recently partnered with the Town of Hempstead to host a fentanyl crisis seminar and “Not My Child” program, and the community response was overwhelming.
We must demand that Hochul and Albany lawmakers stop playing politics with our public safety. The people of New York deserve a justice system that protects the innocent, not one that prioritizes the rights of criminals. The fight against opioids, especially fentanyl, requires a united community, common-sense policies, and the courage to hold the dealers and enablers of this epidemic accountable.
ANNE DONNELLY Nassau County district attorney
suozzi
